The Georgia Institute of Technology’s basketball team is facing controversy over several National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) rule violations.
Last week, the university received a notice from the NCAA alleging its mens basketball team of three different rule violations, including subsidizing a strip club visit for multiple team members.
The notice, which was sent after a joint review by Georgia Tech and the NCAA took place, alleges former assistant coach, Darryl LaBarrie and Ron Bell of breaking recruitment rules, providing undue benefits and falsification of information to the association.
According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, two out of the three violations fall under the category of Level I rule violations, the most serious breaches of conduct under NCCA rules. These include allegations of LaBarrie taking a team member to a strip club in Atlanta in November 2016, and facilitating improper recruiting contact with a person described in the notice as a representative of the school’s athletics interest.
LaBarrie was placed on administrative leave by the school in November 2017 and tendered his resignation later on in the season.
“Based on the information contained within the following allegations, the NCAA enforcement staff believes this case should be reviewed by a hearing panel of the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions pursuant to procedures applicable to a severe breach of conduct (Level I violation),” the notice reads.
Meanwhile, the university has been given until May 16 to respond to the allegations.
“A notice of allegations is a step in the NCAA’s process of investigating potential rules violations, but the process is ongoing,” the university statement reads. “Because the NCAA process remains open, Georgia Tech will not have further comment at this time.”
